Amazon Partners with Postal Service to Provide Sunday Deliveries

Amazon.com, Inc.(SEATTLE) -- With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, Amazon has teamed up with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to provide some of its customers shipping on Sundays.

Effective immediately, customers in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas will be able to receive their packages seven days a week, the online retail giant announced on Sunday. The service is expected to be expanded into other major cities -- like Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Phoenix -- next year.

Amazon Prime members, who pay an annual subscription fee of $79, are sure to benefit from Sunday deliveries as they are entitled to unlimited, free two-day shipping.

“If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order a backpack for your child on Friday and be packing it for them Sunday night,” Dave Clark, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide operations and customer service, said in a statement. “We’re excited that now every day is an Amazon delivery day.”

Another beneficiary could be the USPS, which has been struggling with its finances. Just last year, the agency reported a record net loss of $15.9 billion. The new service could provide the Postal Service with a much-needed revenue boost.

“As online shopping continues to increase, the Postal Service is very happy to offer shippers like Amazon the option of having packages delivered on Sunday,” Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe said in a statement. “With this new service, the Postal Service is now delivering packages seven days a week in select cities.”